Legend has it that in ancient times, there was a bird called the cuckoo that mourned day and night until it coughed up blood, staining the flowers on the mountains red. This is how the azalea came to be. However, the azalea is not just red; in fact, there are at least six different colors of azaleas at the South China Botanical Garden. Nevertheless, I still prefer the clusters of red azaleas at the entrance.
Also known as the mountain-echoing rose, the azalea used to only grow in the valleys, covering the mountainsides in a vast sea of colors. I remember seeing them in Sanqing Mountain, where one had to climb along the ancient post road to reach the mountaintop. The memory of fatigue and soreness still lingers vividly in my mind! In the past, Li Shangyin also wandered into the mountains to see azaleas carrying endless longing and sorrow with him.
Although azalea is red, it is by no means ordinary. It has been a favorite of literati since ancient times and there are many poetic lines about it; all are beautiful.
The azaleas are blooming waiting for you in Spring～